§ Mr. MOONEY (Newry)To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to a statement of Mr. Bull, resident magistrate, at the recent petty sessions court held at Carlingford, as to the anomaly existing whereby persons summoned under 34 Edw. 3, to show cause why they should not be bound over to keep the peace, are not entitled to call witnesses; whether he is aware that the late Attorney-General for Ireland prepared a Bill to remove this anomaly; and whether he will promote legislation to remove this admitted! anomaly.
(Answered by Mr. Cherry.) My attention has been called to the statement referred to in the Question, and I quite agree that it is desirable to allow persons called upon to find sureties to keep the peace to examine witnesses on their own behalf. A Bill was introduced by the late Attorney-General for Ireland, now Lord Atkinson, in 1901 providing for this and other changes in the law on the subject, but it was opposed and failed to become law. The question of again introducing a Bill to allow such witnesses to be examined is engaging the attention of the Government.